Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud calls Ebola a frightening disease that should concern everyone and stressed the need for preparation.
He said the global situation is unpredictable and the Health Ministry has increased security at its borders and airports to prevent any possible entry of the deadly disease.
“Every vessel arriving at the Guyana-Suriname border is being closely monitored… while Lethem is being watched,” he said.
Ebola, an infectious, often fatal disease that is spread through human-human transmission, causes fever and severe internal bleeding.
“We have been screen-ing all persons flying from high-risk countries and these are not just West African countries,” he said, adding that persons were being identified by immigration and inter-views conducted with them to know where they have travelled.
So far 27 persons have been identified to have travelled from West Africa and port health workers are checking up on them to ensure that no symptoms develop. He said the travellers were given contact numbers which they could call to alert the health ministry if they start to develop any symptoms.
“We are fearful about this…that’s why the measures are in place to stop Ebola from entering the country. Ebola is a very frightening disease and I, as the Chief Medical Officer, have a whole team of medical officers that I have to protect because they will be the first ones to be at risk,” he stated.
“So if the population is fearful then I will tell you the health sector is even more fearful… They not only become infected they end up taking it home to their family. So rather than saying we are ill-prepared I can say we have more work to do. We have dedicated ourselves to stopping the disease from entering Guyana,” he said. “The measures we have aren’t the best but they will have to kick in rapidly because, God forbid, we have our first case we need to be ready.”
Persaud said the ministry was collaborating with the Georgetown Public Hospital and had secured an isolation ward for any eventuality. He indicated that they were stocking the ward with disposable clothes and equipment so that by tomorrow the hospital will be prepared.
“On Monday, we will start training staff at the hospital to use the personal protective clothes and also we have identified an ambulance to transport any affected person,” he said.
He said the ministry’s committee which was set up to stop Ebola from entering the country was getting ready to create awareness on the disease. “We are advising people to improve their sanitation and hygiene practices… washing their hands thoroughly and frequently, to be careful of how you dispose of waste especially fluids, foods and urine, stool because Ebola is transmitted by contact,” he stated.
“Also we are advising Guyanese not to travel to Africa because we don’t want anyone to be placed at risk,” he added.
Persaud will be meeting with doctors in Berbice today to create awareness among them about the disease.
Ebola
* Ebola is spread through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes in, for example, the eyes, nose, or mouth) with blood or body fluids of a person who is sick with Ebola though objects (like needles and syringes) that have been contaminated with the virus.
* Ebola is not spread through the air or by water, or in general, by food.
* Healthcare providers caring for Ebola patients and the family and friends in close contact with Ebola patients are at the highest risk of getting sick because they may come in contact with infected blood or body fluids of sick patients.
* Exposure to Ebola can occur in healthcare settings where hospital staff are not wearing appropriate protective equipment, including masks, gowns, and gloves and eye protection.
* Once someone recovers from Ebola, they can no longer spread the virus. However, Ebola virus has been found in semen for up to 3 months. People who recover from Ebola are advised to abstain from sex or use condoms for 3 months.
Symptoms of Ebola include
● Fever (greater than 38.6°C or 101.5°F)
● Severe headache
● Muscle pain
● Weakness
● Diarrhoea
● Vomiting
● Abdominal (stomach) pain
● Unexplained haemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)
Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, but the average is 8 to 10 days.
Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop
antibodies that last for at least 10 years. (CDC)
